A Fresh Start
by SSX99
Summary: Mark is transported to the pokemon world. He and his friends are used as test subjects for an evil company in their quest for world power. They have been transformed and are willing to fight to get their lives back...
1. Something of Importance

Well, I have taken a huge hiatus and I have decided to revisit this story. It took a long time but hopefully I can update the story from what I had written a couple of years ago. Well here goes…

**Something of Importance**

The blue sky echoed over the tall swaying trees. Large puffy clouds were being drawn through the sky, as the wind blew gently rippling the leaves. The chirps and whistles of birds were in the air. The sun shone brightly, illuminating the ambient scene. It was almost perfect, mused a tall lanky teen. He was separated from the freedom the scene promised. Isolated and bored, he watched with glazed eyes, as birds flitted from branch to branch, enjoying the warmth of the noon sun. If only he could experience the freedom and excitement of something different, something new.

"Mark Calhoun, stop daydreaming and pay attention!" snapped a plump, balding man, "You may be missing something important!" He pointed a thick chalk covered finger at the teen, "I seriously advise against wasting my time and yours."He sneered, yellowed teeth gleaming under a salt and pepper moustache." Yet since you seem so intent on failure, you may want to discuss your future with the Principle!" He pointed his finger at the door. Snickers echoed around the room as the boy rose wearily to his feet, as the chair screeched against the floors. Looking at the portly teacher with a dour expression, he walked to the door. He turned the handle and he walked out muttering an insult under his breath. "I heard that," the fat man shouted, his face red, as the door clicked shut.

The teen sighed, his dark hair falling loosely over his face. He strode down the hall, the rubber soles of his shoes squeaking quietly with each step. Cursing he, vented his anger on a nearby wall, slamming his fist into the painted concrete. He drew back his throbbing hand, shaking it to ease the pain. His parents weren't going to be happy. He continued on, as he quietly repeated under his breath," I hate my life, I hate my life"

"Mark Benjamin Calhoun, why do you have to put us through this every time?" screamed Marc's mother, a woman in her late thirties, with auburn hair and a pained expression on her slender face. She sighed as she rubbed her temples."Will you ever stop day dreaming and start to focus on something important for once" she continued berating her sixteen year old son, who was visibly squirming from his seat on the couch, his face ashen and guilty. "What can I do to make you understand that you need to put in an effort to concentrate? I'm sick of hearing your teacher complain about you". She looked at her son, her face changing from anger to concern, her voice mirroring her expression, "You used to do so well. I really don't know why you've become so despondent". She sighed; the teen looked down at the floor, his dark hair falling idly over his guilty face. He remained silent. His mother gave another sigh and walked away.

The front door clicked open and was shut again. The whirr of a car engine rose up as the car was put in gear. Gravel crunched loudly as the car reversed and drove away. Marc continued to mope, mouthing the words,"I hate my life, I hate my life, I hate my life".

Why is it all so boring? Why can't there be something exciting, some way I could get away from all of this? He looked at his bedroom walls, adorned with posters from video games, anime and outdoor magazines. Brushing the hair out of his eyes, he started at the flickering screen. A message dialogue popped up. It was from Mark's friend, Zain Tyler, the message read: 'Wow Mr. Denton got you again huh?' Mark tapped away at the keyboard: 'I think he has something against me', he waited for a reply. 'Yeh well duh, he's had it out for you ever since you screamed at him in front of the entire school. What was that about again?' Marc sighed. 'He was picking on someone. You know I hate it when people think they are so big and know better. Can we drop the topic; I don't want to think about school?' Marc wrung his hands as he waited for a response, the day's anxieties making him feel despondent. 'Well then you should be happy about the field trip tomorrow, at least it's going to give us a break from a normal day of school'. Marc blinked. He had forgotten about the trip.

They were supposed to visit a secluded facility out in the country. The arrangement had been sudden, but Mark didn't mind at the time. He knew that it might be boring, but at least it was different, a break from the dull monotony of school. For all his fuss he was a science nut, and what they did at the research facility might be interesting.

'I totally forgot about that', Mark quickly typed, 'it sounds like fun'. 'I knew that would get you going, you're such a nerd'. Marc shrugged, flipping the switch on the monitor, turning it off. He flopped down on his bed, the springs creaking under his weight. He felt a little better. And hopefully something interesting would happen, something important.


	2. Tangible Impossibilities

**Tangible impossibilities **

The bus bounced out of a pothole, jarring the teenagers in their seats. Excited chatter permeated the air, audible over the rumbling engine of bus. Dust was kicked up by the tyres. Tall evergreen trees whizzed by as the bus sped along the dirt road.

Mark slumped loosely in his seat, dozing while the bus bounced and jostled. They had been driving for a couple of hours and he peered meekly out of the dirty window focusing on the country tree line. He felt ill as the vehicle hopped over another stone, the tense feeling of nausea clutching at his gut.

"Looking a little green around the gills, aren't you", remarked a short boy sitting next to Mark. He lazily flipped his black hair out of his eyes, revealing a cheeky grin. The boy knelt on the seat, arms crossed on the head rest. He had been talking to Jessica and Shannon, two girls who were sitting behind us. "Shut up, Zain!" Mark groaned, taking on a green hue as the bus started to bounce again.

Zain smirked, "It's not my fault if Marcy warcy is sicky wicky," Mark glowered, "too bad this bus doesn't come with barf bags", he continued ,"I'm kind of curious about what type of cereal you ate today"."Bite me" Mark said, while Zain laughed, taking pleasure in his friends discomfort. Mark quickly decided to even the playing field. "Well at least I'm not afraid of my younger sister". Zain paled, the smirk gone from his face. "Shut up, you promised not to talk about that", he hissed. "Why not? Who could resist talking about a sixteen year old guy getting beaten up by his ten year old sister?" he grinned relishing in the boy's discomfort, and the giggles from the girls behind them made it all the sweeter ."Really Zain, how could such a cute little girl beat you up?" remarked Jessica, pulling a strand of her red hair out of her eyes. "The little demon fights dirty, okay! Besides she would probably cry about it to my parents if I did hurt her. I'm in enough shit from last time", he said shrinking into his seat. "What happened last time?" Shannon asked. Zain glared daggers at Mark, telling him to bite his tongue. Mark let a grin spread across his face as he remembered what had happened. Zain's sister had chased him around the house with a baseball bat, after he broke the little girl's favourite doll when she had thrown his Xbox out the window. His parents had come home to a mess and a wailing daughter, who had kindly pointed out her brother as the culprit. Mark's grin turned into a grimace as the bus bounced over a particularly large stone.

He returned his attention to the scenery, while Zain continued to defend himself against the mockery of the girls. The bus slowed, much to Mark's relief, as it turned off onto a small tarmac road leading into the forest. The wheels glided smoothly over the well laid road. Mark was able to relax, the nausea fading slowly allowing him to breathe again. Ahead a solid concrete wall ran off into the distance, it was about six meters high. Long steel wires lined the top. As the bus approached a large steel gate in the wall began to open. Surveillance cameras were mounted on the wall, red lights blinking as the bus passed into the forest. The forest road was shaded; the sunlight breaching it speckled the road in long golden shafts. It was a welcome change from the hours spent being bounced and jostled with only fields and the occasional cow.

A small gate house was visible ahead. It stood before the mouth to a small tunnel. A man in a stiff blue uniform sat inside. He looked up, gave a curt nod before pressing a button to raise the gate. The bus passed through, picking up speed as it approached the yawning hole. Mark noticed an inscription above the tunnel, which had gone unnoticed until just before the bus passed into the darkness. It simply read:

"Through this gateway lies a whole new world."

The teenager smirked. The inscription was unbelievably conceited for such a serious facility. Did the scientists really think they were that good? The facility couldn't be that great. He had been imagining something flashy based on how the place had organized the field trip and had left out finer details. The whole thing had an aura of the unknown about it. The people who had organized it probably thought that the confusion and lack of information would make the trip a little more interesting. It did. It gave Mark freedom to daydream about what they were doing at the facility, and why they had such an isolated location.

Some of the girls shrieked and giggled as the bus proceeded into the tunnel, the dark taking them by surprise. Mark rolled his eyes as Zain made stupid remarks to the girls. He stared out the window, wondering why the tunnel was so dark and so long. He felt his ears pop, a chill running the length of his spine. Mark began to think about the inscription above the tunnel. What did it mean? Why was it there?

A sharp pain on his right ear, made him yell and turn in the darkness. "Wasn't me", Zain lied innocently from Mark's right. Mark flung out a fist into the darkness, but failed to hit his friend. "Missed me slow po-OW", he yelled rubbing at his shoulder where Mark had struck him. "Wasn't me!" Mark replied an invisible grin on his face.

"There's light ahead" yelled someone, as the gloom brightened. The end of the tunnel was bright. As the bus passed through, Mark found himself looking at what appeared to be another forest. This one was different somehow; the trees were packed densely around the tunnel's mouth. Many of them looked old and twisted, their emerald leaves blocking much of the light. Mark wondered how old they were and why their growth had been so stunted. As they drove the forest began to thin out. Ferns and smaller plants grew all about the tall evergreen trees. The light once again pierced the canopy to fall on the undergrowth.

"Holy shit is that fox on fire?", shouted a girl from the front of the bus. Mark saw the fox dash into a bush, a fiery tail vanishing into the bushes. "No way! Dude did you see that? It looked like a Vul-", Mark quickly cut Zain off "It was just a trick of the light!". He didn't believe his own explanation; he was still shocked by the sight. 'That couldn't have been', he thought, 'that's IMPOSSIBLE!'. He continued to deny what his eyes had seen, putting it off to his own wishful thinking.

He could not however deny what the others were claiming to see. They yelled out as they saw other strange creatures roaming the forest, darting in and out of shadow. The creatures were both strange and familiar, playing on the childhood fantasies of the teenagers. Mark recalled the words above the tunnel:

'Through this gateway lies a whole new world!'

'It can't be real, it's impossible ' he thought, the words ringing in his head as the bus broke the tree line, heading towards a large complex of buildings walled in by another concrete wall with an electrified barrier. Another set of steel gates was flanked by two security guards. They eyed the bus coldly as the gate swung open and the bus drove through. One picked up his radio and spoke into it, while his partner looked away. "This place must be doing some high end stuff to have so much security, I wonder why they asked us to come?", someone said, thinking out loud. "Whatever it is I can't wait to see it!"one of the girls giggled in excitement.

The bus stopped in front a tall glass facade building with Remment Science Inc, proudly embellished on the wall. The teenagers got up making their way to the exit of the bus, as the pneumatic brakes hissed. The doors swung open and the teens slowly disembarked, stretching after the long ride. Mark shuffled into the aisle after Zain. They walked past the driver, a large man in his thirties. He didn't pay them any attention, his uniform cap obscuring his face. "Thanks for driving", a slim be speckled girl quietly thanked the driver. He grunted, his face twitched indistinctively, beneath the hat."Someone's grouchy", Zain commented, and tripped over the driver's outstretched leg falling down the stairs."And someone needs to learn to not insult people who are already in a bad mood", Mark told his friend as he hopped of the last step. The bus door hissed and the bus drove off, driving behind the large building."He probably wants to get to the toilet, he was drinking coffee the whole way here", Mark reasoned picking his friend up off the floor. Zain dusted himself off, passionately cursing under his breath. The rest of the students had made their way towards the building. Mark shrugged and left Zain to trail behind and sulk.

A neatly trimmed garden flanked the building, complete with foreign flowers. A large water feature was filled with strange horned koi fish and large lily pads which slowly moved around on the surface. The flowers twitched and swayed in the breeze, giving off a comfortingly sweet aroma.

"Welcome to Remment Incorporated Research Facility, I am Doctor Rico Giovanni. I'm glad you all arrived safely", said a tall handsome man with a well trimmed goatee," please follow me inside so we can get this operation going". Smiling, he guided the batch of teenagers into the large entrance foyer of the building. The foyer was large, with white sterile walls and was well lit by the light streaming through its glass front. The room was furnished with sophisticated sitting chairs and couches, arrange neatly about.

"Now before we begin the tour I will need to ask you to make your way to one of the changing rooms to either side", he lifted both hands, pointing to two doors," the females changing room is on my right and the males is on my left, please remove your clothes and electronic equipment, and put them into one of the lockers. Then change into the protective uniforms provided". "Why do we need to change clothes?" asked a high pitched voice from the front of the group. "It is to insure your safety while in the facility and helps to decrease the risk of you contaminating the research done. It is only a precaution and nothing more, so don't be alarmed", he explained a large, assuring smile on his face. At this the group began to separate heading into their allocated changing rooms. Mark began towards the boy's changing room, but stopped and looked around for Zain, who was strangely quiet for once. He was headed to the changing room. Although it was the wrong one and he had a sly grin on his face. A hand shot out grabbing him by the ear. "Not so fast Mr. Tyler, your changing room is over there!" snapped Ms. Fink, one of the teachers chaperoning the field trip. Zain hung his head and quickly walked over to the boy's changing room. 'He's lucky', thought Mark as he followed his friend inside, 'who knows what would happen if Evangeline had caught him peeping.

"Ah that reminds me, could you teachers accompany Ms Lucas to the lounge, and she will show you the way. My staff and I will be able to handle the group", Dr. Giovanni said, stroking his goatee.

Mark entered the changing room, found an unoccupied locker. He found a set of turquoise clothes inside. They were of a similar material to medical scrubs, but slightly thicker. He quickly changed out of his clothes, tossing them onto a small shelf in the middle. He changed quickly into the uniform. It clung to his neck and irritated the skin, making him scratch.

He left the room and found Zain, who was scratching at his neck and back."These things must be made of hair!" he moaned, scratching all the more at his irritated skin." I'm so glad we got to keep our underwear on else I'd be scratching my b-OW", he was cut off as a fit looking girl in a salmon pink version of the safety clothing, elbowed him in the ribs. "Shut up idiot!" she said angrily. "Okay Evangeline. Geez why do you always pick on me?" he innocently intoned, rubbing his bruised ribs.

"Can I have your attention!" a small plump man with a large moustache said, he was wearing a pristine white lab coat, with a black band on his left arm "I am going to divide you up into groups, listen for your name!" "Hey look its Mario" giggled Zain, hiding his smirk. Evangeline was about to hit him with her elbow again, when her name was called. She quickly joined the group of teens standing in front of a stern, well built man at the front of the room. A voice at Mark's shoulder made him jump. "I wonder why they're splitting us up?" wondered Jessica out loud. She was standing right behind Mark and had probably just lest the changing room in her own pink uniform. "And aren't these uniforms weird? I feel like some sort of human guinea pig in a straw clothes." She absently scratched her neck underneath the collar of the uniform."It's probably so we can get around quicker. You know smaller groups are easier to manage, or something like that" guessed Mark, ignoring the guinea pig remark. He had been feeling odd ever since they had gone through the tunnel.

"Mark Calhoun". Mark looked up as his name was read, and saw that the group had grown smaller. He walked up to a broad and hirsute man at the front of the room, and stepped behind him joining a blond girl and a dark haired boy. They looked exactly the same, except for a few gender influenced aspects. The girl was picking distastefully at the pink top, grumbling about how ridiculous it looked. The boy's head was drooped, dark rings under his eyes. Mark mumbled a greeting to the Mills twins. Kyle Mills mumbled back, while Helen continued to fiddle with the material of her uniform.

Soon Zain joined our group, holding the back of his head and casting wary glances at Jessica. "I didn't do anything, I swear", he professed, falling in with the rest of us. Phoebe Barnes, the quiet be speckled girl, was called next. She looked sheepish and stared at the floor as she made her way to the group. Finally Jessica's name was called, much to Zain's dismay. She joined the group, keeping a wary eye on Zain. "I can't leave you alone for thirty seconds can I?" Mark sighed in dismay. Zain replied by grinning mischievously.

The hairy man removed a small notepad from his pocket and scribbled something on it. "Follow me!" he gruffly commanded, putting the notepad back in his lab coat pocket. He turned and walked abruptly down a long corridor.

The small group of teens followed. The corridor reminded Mark of a hospital. It was clean and sterile, with large tinted mesh screen windows for each room. Blinds on the inside of the rooms stopped the teens from seeing what was inside the rooms. They walked on in silence. 'This is some tour' Mark thought, as paranoia clenched his gut. ' I have a bad feeling about this, but what could happen'.

The group approached a large set of steel reinforced doors with a small electronic locking system on the wall next to it. The scientist quickly punched in a complicated series of numbers into the small wall mounted console. There was a series of clunks as the door slid open. The room beyond was dark. "Go inside" the scientist said cracking his hairy knuckles. The teens entered the room.

The door slammed shut behind them making Mark jump and Jessica scream. The room was completely dark save for an eerie glow emanating from six cylindrical glass tanks.

Mark heard a breath and a footstep behind him. Then he heard someone yell in surprise. He was about to turn but was grabbed by a pair of strong rubbery hands. "Let us begin shall we!" a loud voice boomed, as the lights flicked on, illuminating the chamber. "What's going on I thought we came here to look at science experiments?" Jessica screamed, struggling against two men in biological MOPP suits. "My dear girl, you are the experiments!", the voiced laughed evilly. Mark struggled against the grip of the men holding him, but they constrained him easily. Another man in a white laboratory hazard suit removed a syringe from a sterile plastic wrapping. Mark eyed the needle with caution, his voice caught in his throat. The man removed a small bottle of a clear liquid, the label hidden by his thumb. He drew some of the solution and tapped the glass, settling the air inside before expelling it. Mark looked at the man in the lab suit, his eyes pleading. The man's face was hidden by the tinted visor of the suit. He quickly jabbed the needle into Mark's neck, squeezing the plunger.

Mark's world went fuzzy. His body felt limp and everything became a haze of fluffy shapes and cottony sounds. Mark absently noticed that there were more men injecting the other teens. He heard his schoolmates screaming. He heard a muffled whirr as the tank in front of him was opened. He was dragged over to the tube, his feet felt like they were miles away, as they trailed on the floor.

He felt tired as a nasal drip and oral breathing tube where inserted into him. The man in the lab suit came back, a blur of hazy shapes. The man inserted an intravenous tube into his floppy arm. He removed an injection gun from a steel case mark hadn't noticed before. He also withdrew a small florescent vial, which he screwed into the pressurized gun. He rubbed Mark's neck with an icy swab, before firing the contents of the vial into his neck. A distant sting was all the teen felt.

He was left to slump inside the tank, his eyelids fluttering. A transparent viscous liquid gushed into the small space. The fluid was warm and comforting. It soaked Mark's uniform, 'at least it isn't itchy anymore', he dumbly thought, as that thought and every other one swirled into oblivion.

"So when will the process be complete?" a shadowy man with a widows peak asked over a video call."In about a month, sir" said a handsome man with a well trimmed goatee, looking at the screen. "Excellent!" the shadowy man smirked stroking a strange cat, with a bright jewel on its forehead.

Well that's the updated version of an old and forgotten story. I Hope I have kept with what I set out to do and didn't become too verbose. Well I'm going to be updating the rest of the story soon and hopefully I can iron the kinks out of the plot before I get it rolling. So review it feedback is always welcome and helpful.


	3. To Dreams Unsettled

To Dreams Unsettled

_Mark felt weightless, a ghost in the abyss of his own dreams. Memories flashed by, a blur of images and emotions. They began to solidify into a vibrant forest, the trees were old and every leaf was a brilliant green. Smaller plants littered the forest floor, growing in a rich loamy carpet. __He looked at his feet and felt rather than saw the soil between his toes. He didn't hear any birds .__Nothing moved. Everything was still. Everything felt wrong. _

_A flash of movement caught his attention. A blue streak passed through the underbrush, the leaves didn't move. Mark started to run, random bursts of memories blaring with each footfall. Childhood memories of woods and trees whizzed by, falling together as a collage of experiences. He felt like a child chasing his dog through the forest. Indistinct shapes started to peek around trunks. Mark recognized, but couldn't comprehend the creatures that were so alien and yet so familiar. Foggy shapes and colours became distinct. He knew what they were, and had wished countless times as a child, but they looked real. The creatures of his childhood were here, peeking around trees and sneaking from bushes. They were pokémon._

_A rustling of static fronds tore him away as he continued his pursuit. He dashed blindly after the blue jackal, crashing deeper into the forest. The trees began to become older, twisting into ancient shapes. Gnarled roots poked through the soil, threatening to trip him as he ran. He nimbly avoided them, bounding between the trees. He felt light. The pokémon stopped before an old oak tree and turned to stare at Mark with its deep hazel eyes. Mark stared back and felt mixed emotions. He had seen those eyes before, reflected in mirrors and windows. They were his. It made him feel scared, anxious and confused, but beyond his fears he felt something that he both questioned and embraced: a purpose. He knew that he was part of something greater than himself. It was what he had asked for and it had being given to him. Conflicting thoughts and desires fought inside his mind. He didn't know what to expect and felt dread clutching at his racing heart._

_The trees overhead began to converge, the dark canopy shrouding Mark's path in darkness. All he saw was the creature as it flicked its blue tail, taunting him. A crack formed in the trunk of the oak, running along the natural grain. The crack widened as an eerie groan came from the splitting wood. As the fissure grew the old tree began to stretch, accommodating the expanding hole. Darkness grew inside, leaving a gloomy tunnel. The pokémon drew away its eyes and leaped into the void, and Mark quickly followed._

Dr Rico Giovanni adjusted the fine focus on the microscope before him. The magnified image became clear, showing a sample from a test subject. He was analysing the mutation process, scratching out notes onto a small notepad. A small beep made him look up. He clicked off his Dictaphone and groggily noticed a small spike in one of the electronic readouts. He saw that the irregularity was simply a small fluctuation on a subjects EEG."Dreaming again I see", he said drowsily, reaching for a mug on his desk. The contents were cold, making him grimace. 'I need to get more coffee soon', he thought lazily, returning to his work. The subjects had begun to dream shortly after they had stopped using anaesthetic. The continuous use of the drugs could potentially inhibit the process. Fortunately the only side effect when they discontinued using anaesthesia was that subjects had begun to dream. They were in a state of constant apathy, unaware of anything beyond their own minds.

The doctor removed the slide from the microscope, opting for a fresh sample. He read the small label. He carefully inserted the slide into the clasps on the microscope. He focused the lenses as he peered into the eye piece. He began to check off points on the notepad with a pen. Putting the pen down he pushed a button on the recorder in front of him and began to dictate his findings. "FC16. Subject Female, _Homosapien_ merged with _Ignivolucres Cristasque, _commonly combusken. The process is mildly accelerated. Acceleration may be a trend in the batch; we have found similar results with the others of AB blood type. All results so far are promising, and have shown a higher rate of success than previous experiments", he lowered the Dictaphone. Tapping idly at a keyboard he brought up the current vital readouts of the subject on the monitor before him. The digital dials and graphs showed a normal heart rate and blood pressure, but it also displayed the report from the nutrient tests they had ran recently. She had a calcium and vitamin B deficiency. "Calcium and Vitamin B deficiency was reported for the subject, due to growth of beak and feathers. She will be given a supplement via intravenous feed." Subject FC16 is otherwise stable and sustaining a higher body temperature which was expected", he lowered the microphone, only to raise it again in an afterthought, "Subject's process batch will be given preliminary test if they continue to develop at this rate". He clicked off the recorder and leant back in his chair, stretching his back and arms. He gazed blankly at the ceiling fan as it spun lazily above his head.

To say he was pleased would be an understatement. The results they were getting were far better than expected, especially based on previous endeavours into the field of human-pokémon hybrids. Attempts prior to the current test batch had proven difficult and nigh impossible. They had been unable to successfully merge test subjects with pokémon. The results had been painful and often fatal, the effect of multiple gruesome procedures and attempts at genetic manipulation. Those interested the field, had to work in secret with inadequate equipment and facilities. Even within advanced facilities the chance of a successful result was nonexistent. In theory the experiments were all feasible, yet they were missing something, a key complication that inhibited the bonding of proteins within subjects. The experiments were ceased; the idea of a pokémon-human hybrid began to slowly fade. It was then that Dr Giovanni had stepped in, funded by his grandfather, the proprietor of hundreds of corporations and benefactor of countless smaller operations. Dr Giovanni never understood his grandfather's reasons for funding the bio-merging initiative. He thought it was the old man's way of seeking immortality, by helping to create a new race of sentient life. Dr Giovanni smirked, amused at the image of his grandfather being worshiped as the patriarch of a new species. It had been Dr Rico Giovanni's discovery, without the proper equipment and materials provided by his grandfather; even he would never have been able to find the cause of his predecessor's failure. He had found that they weren't able to merge the subjects with pokémon due to a previous natural mutation. He had discovered that people's proximity to pokémon had caused them to contract viruses and diseases from the pokémon themselves. The infection with the viruses had miraculously created a form of recombinant genetic proteins, able to alter pre-existing DNA structures. Those that survived outbreaks would pass on the immunity and traits they had gained to the next generation. The children would gain simple, mostly superficial traits. Differences in skin pigmentation, a natural affinity to certain environments and even changes in hair colour became evident, all a natural side effect of the immunity. There had also been recorded cases of humans developing abilities such as clairvoyance or telepathy. The mutations had made humans stronger. However the presence of a previous mutation with pokémon had made merging humans with pokémon a dangerous and unstable process. Dr Giovanni knew that the pre-altered DNA could never be overwritten or removed. He knew that he needed subjects who were not influenced by the natural evolution of mankind and its hereditary mutations. Unfortunately for the merging initiative it was impossible to find someone who hadn't been influenced. That's what they had thought. Their benefactor however had a solution.

The gateway had been a secret know to only a select few. It had been his grandfather's trade secret, a gateway to a new world, rich with economic opportunities. For the Dr Giovanni and his team the tunnel between worlds had created a new possibility for success. They constructed a facility on their side of the gate as a staging ground. It was well equipped and provisioned, housing everything they had needed and more. They had begun testing soon after the new facilities completion, kidnapping people from the streets to avoid suspicion. The homeless made almost perfect subjects. No one would miss them and their disappearance was rarely investigated. The new test subjects had been given the best possible treatment. The procedures to begin the morphing process were checked countless times to ensure success. The results however were mixed. The majority of subjects had failed to merge and develop on anything more than a cellular level. They had found that adult subjects had rejected the mutagen treatment and died from the biological shock to their bodies before any physical change occurred. Children however, were able to be altered by the treatment, but their bodies were too young and the change too sudden to sustain the transformation. It was in teenagers that they found the results they had sought. Their bodies were already in the process of changing into adults, their bodies were more open to the treatment and they were old enough to be able to handle the change. The first complete hybrid had been a fifteen year old girl they had named Alice. The process had given her powers far surpassing those of regular pokémon, but she had become quiet and disillusioned. She was out of touch with reality; the transformation had robbed her of her mind. She may have gained amazing power but she had the same intelligence as a four year old. They had kept her alive in the lower levels of the facility, to use her as the effective progenitor of a new species. Through her DNA, Dr Giovanni had managed to produce a stable catalytic substitute would help to accelerate the transformation process. This boosted the chances of success substantially, as the majority of subjects had been unable to cope with the months of stress the transformation would have on their bodies.

Dr Giovanni reached over to examine a sample of blood taken from another subject; it had gained a green tinge, the effect of chlorophyll in the blood stream. The sample was from another female, from a different test batch, crossed with _Gekonero __Lignofrondoso, _a grovyle hybrid. The chlorophyll was used to produce the great amounts of energy required to travel from branch to branch at high speeds. She was changing; her body was accepting the treatment. The presence of chlorophyll showed that her system was accepting the change.

Looking at the system clock on the monitor he groaned. He had always thought that the early hours of the morning were inhospitable. Yawning he reached for the mug on his desk and stiffly stood up. "There ain't no rest for the wicked", he chuckled and ambled out of the laboratory in search of more coffee.

_Light penetrated the darkness. Breaching the void he was trapped in. Mark drew closer and the light grew to engulf him. The light coagulated into trees and plants. He was once again in a forest, but it felt different, alien to him. The forest was dark. No light filtered through the leafy canopy, but water did. Drops fell to the soft ground splattering in a complex symphony. It was raining. A flash threw the world into sharp contrast and was succeeded by the ominous peal of thunder. The sound pitched and rolled around him filling the forest with its echo. 'This is so sad' he thought, perturbed by his oppressive surroundings. Another flash bloomed and faded, another boom exploded and died away. Mark could hear sobs over the din, the crying of a small child lost in the storm. He felt a chill run through him, the crying sounded almost animalistic, a coarse intermingling of a human child and an almost feline yowl. Although he was disturbed, curiosity began to gnaw at him. He crept from tree to tree hiding in the shadows; the only sound was the pitter patter of rain and the eerie lament. The trees began to thin, opening into a large clearing. The only occupants of the open space were a large delicate birch tree and a small bundle, tucked into a foetal position. The child was small, had delicate features and her blond hair spilled over her hands as she wept. "What's wrong?" Mark asked, interested as to why such a small girl would be alone in a forest after dark. She gasped in surprise, and although she had stopped sobbing, she didn't look up. He tried again, "Why are you out here all alone"? He noticed long tufted ears lying flat against her head. The girl remained where she was, but Mark noticed that she was shivering, whether it was from his presence or the driving rain, he had yet to determine. He stepped closer, trying to distinguish her features. She lowered her hands and peeked over her fingers. Her eyes were looked like a photographic negative. Pale blue-grey irises and a black sclera stared at him, locking him in their gaze. He saw fear in her eyes. Hoping to comfort the child, Mark took another step towards her, realising too late was his rash reaction would do. The girl immediately got up and fled, a lilac tail flowing behind her._

_"Looks like you scared her", a soft voice nonchalantly stated. Mark glanced around trying to locate the speaker. "I don't blame you it probably wasn't your fault", the voice continued," she was on the edge already, but I guess seeing you looking like that sent her over". Mark's eye caught movement. Turning his head he found the speaker, a slim girl his own age. Her skin was deathly pale and the short hair which covered her face was emerald green. She was looking back at him over the brim of her thick glasses. "I know you", Mark whispered "Phoebe is that you"? The girl nodded shyly. "You look different" he stated bluntly "Am I dreaming"? Again she nodded, "So do you" she replied. Mark looked at his hands which were covered in dark fur. "So I am" he said, "but I'm dreaming so it's okay I suppose. Why are you here?". "I don't know" she replied honestly. "Oh" Mark sighed and kicked despondently at the dead leaves of the forest floor. "I don't like it here" another voice quiet added. It was the girl who had been crying. She stood at the edge of the clearing, a violet tail flicking behind her. "They always come for me. They want to take me away" she moaned, her voiced full of fear. Shadows had begun to move between the trees. "Who wants to take you away", asked Mark, casting wary eyes at the shadows. A snapping branch made them jump. "They're here!" screamed the girl before turning and fleeing into the forest. Dark shapes began to loom out of the shadows. Trees began to twist and stretch, sending gnarled fingers to grab at them. Mark began to run. Lighting flared, casting frightening silhouettes throughout the woods. He felt like he was running through molasses, every step bogged down by the soft ground. Thunder boomed, becoming a sinister cackle as it rolled through the trees. Vines and brambles reached up, grappling his ankles. He fell flat, but didn't feel the impact. He tried to call for help, but all he could make was strangled gasps. The long thorns dug into his feet and hands, making him silently scream in the darkness. A blue streak caught his attention. He looked up to see a jackal before him, staring back with hazel eyes._

* * *

This took me more time than it should have, but it's up. Hopefully I haven't let anything become 'lost in translation' or verbose (verbosity is my only weakness, I'm a sucker for adjectives). It's hard to put down a story you have in your head, without leaving out details you alone know. I think I covered everything that needed to be covered and hope that I haven't left any conspicuous plot holes or irregularities, but if you did spot any please review and tell me so I can rectify them. Also sorry for any (inconsequential) spelling or grammar errors on my part, as Microsoft word and I can only do so much.

I understand the plot concept is cliché, but it was something I liked and wanted to try. Also I had hoped to make it a little more believable and to create some interesting characters to make up for the clichéd plot pitch. Having read plenty of fanfiction, I only every really enjoyed those in which the characters would grow to meet their situation or would undergo something that would eventually help them mature into someone people can like and even relate to. That said I make no promises, but I will continue to work on this story and reviews are always welcome and helpful.

PS: _Ignivolucres Cristasque _means 'Crested Fire Fowl' and _Gekonero Lignofrondoso_ is 'Green Leafed Gecko'. Both are Latin translations from Google translator, so if you are literate in Latin feel free to correct me.

PPS: Did you know that someone who explores dream worlds is called an 'Oneironaut'. Its a dream proffession...

PPPS: I promise to henceforth cease the use of cheap puns

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon** (If I did I would probably have spliced a hamster with an electric eel to increase market revenue. Having a live Pokémon as a mascot would bring in so much money, and probably get me arrested for playing God)


	4. Jail Break

Well I've finally decided to knuckle down and finish this part. I don't know why it took so long, but anyway enjoy...

(Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon) (I still think disclaimers are useless, and I'll be damned if anyone from Nintendo actually reads this and wants to take legal action..Oh well)

* * *

Thoughts coagulated into conscious forms, as shapes formed before him. He was cold and wet. The room was dark and fuzzy. A solid shape was standing over him. "Finally, he's awake" the shape whispered in a pleasant voice. A bright light flared, making him flinch. "He's responsive." she said as the light died. Mark saw clear grey eyes flash beneath a mess of bushy red hair. "Get him up, we don't have much time." another voice, this time much deeper, came from beyond his view. He tried to raise himself onto his elbows, but he felt heavy. It hurt to breathe, his strangled gasps caught in his throat, making him gag. The woman helped him into a sitting position as he coughed and spluttered. "It's okay, just get it all out," she said reassuringly as she held him steady. "Can you stand?" Still coughing he nodded. "I'm going to help you up. Are you ready?" Again, he nodded. Stars swam before his eyes as she helped him to find his feet, only to have the world convulse and spin around him. He retched, spewing bile onto the floor. While being held up as he went limp.

Every joint and muscle was sore, his lungs and throat burned and stars began to grow before his eyes as darkness began to creep from the edges of his vision. Shivering he tried to blink away the stars. Slowly they began to fade, allowing him to see more shapes covered in white lab coats. They were also shivering, damp furry fingers clutching at the white material. Something warm and dry was draped over him, covering his head "Sarah, hurry up," said the deep voice. Clutching numbly at his own white lab coat, Mark turned toward the voice. A large man with loose straw blond hair stood by the door to a lit passage clutching a sub-machine gun in his hands. He wore a black padded uniform with shiny black plates at the knees and elbows. He looked nervously at the red haired woman. "Ed's right. He's the last one. We need to get moving," said another man standing on the opposite side of the doorway, dressed in the same black uniform, but brandishing a small semi automatic pistol. He wore a helmet; the tinted visor hid his face. The woman turned her head, casting a worried glance back at the shivering group.

The flash of doubt but was quickly replaced by steely determination. "Alright let's go," she said turning towards the two men. "What's going on?" Mark managed to say through numb lips. His teeth felt different, he thought as he ran his tongue along the rows of sharp teeth. "I need you to follow me. We'll explain later when we're somewhere safe, but don't worry everything is going to be alright". Mark stared sheepily at her, his thoughts were still fuzzy and he was incapable of doing more than nod in response. He and the others shuffled after her as she exited the room. Other than the lab coat he was wearing thick turquoise clothes. They itched at his neck and wrists. As he began to scratch, he noticed his hand for the first. They were covered in damp blue fur, a sharp bone protruded from the back of his hand. Soft black pads were on his palm and fingers. Steely spike poked from the back of his hand. 'That's new', he thought. Instinctively he flexed the hand noticing the sharp claws at the ends if his finger tips. "Move," whispered the blond man. Mark realised that during the inspection of his hand he had stopped walking in the middle of the passage. Mark ran his tongue along his teeth. His mouth was dry and his teeth felt sharper against his tongue. He felt like he was inside a large fuzzy bubble. It felt good.

He stared at the man vacantly before he began to walk. He quickly covered the distance to follow the white shape before him. His head sagged and he looked down to stare at the feet of the person in front of him. A lilac tail twitched below the hem of the coat, swaying in time to the shuffling footsteps of delicate lilac feet. 'Such pretty feet' was all he could muster in his clouded mind.

"What are you doing?" a man shouted from ahead. He was in a white lab coat holding a mug in his left hand. He quickly overcame his surprise and dashed wildly towards a wall mounted intercom, flinging away his mug spilling the contents on the floor. The man with the pistol was already in motion. "This is Giovanni I need security down on level th-" was all he managed to say before the helmeted man tackled him to the floor. The scientist fell to the floor limbs flailing. The other man tried to cover his mouth, but the scientist managed to kick him off before scrambling to his feet. He tried to run, but the helmeted man quickly leveled the pistol and fired. The sound exploded in the small hallway, making Mark's ears ring. The round caught the scientist in his shoulder causing him to spin. He landed on his back his head snapping backwards and cracking audible on the floor.

There was silence, save for the muffled gasps of the helmeted man. Blood pooled around the scientist, staining his white coat crimson. The coated figure with the lilac tail doubled over and retched emptily. The lab coat fell back onto its shoulders, revealing white hair and two tufted feline ears. Mark gasped. Two large grey eyes stared back at him full of fear. He knew those eyes and the condescending voice that accompanied it. She was someone he knew. The altered features where also familiar, but as a memory of a creature from a cartoon. The shock pulled him from his stupor. The world was thrown into vivid contrast as a thousand questions bubbled inside his head.

What's going on?

Where am I?

Who are these people?

What happened to her?

Why do I feel so different?

What happened to me?

His mind raced as he brought his hands up to his face. He finally understood what had happened. He finally knew why he felt different. 'I'm one of them' he thought numbly, 'this must be a dream'. He pinched himself, digging into the soft blue fur of his forearm. He felt the pain, his claws made it greater. Mark felt lost. Utterly confused, he didn't even notice the clanging sirens and followed by the heavy shove of the red haired lady as she screamed, "Move we've got to make a run for it". Mark began to move his confusion quickly being replaced by fear. The fear helped to make his legs move. It drove him forward one foot after the other, now in rapid succession as they ran.

Doors and hallways blurred past, as he followed the group. He was out of breath. His legs felt weak and his lungs burned from the effort. How long had he been in that lab, and what had he become? That question rolled in his mind as the blaring alarm and clawing fear made him run faster.

The lady with the red hair led the way, the group of coated figures followed, the coats thrown back from their faces. Mark caught a flash of flame red feathers and smear of green hair. They were also different. They also looked tired, their heavy breathing and exhausted postures told him that he wasn't the only one suffering.

The sounds of many pairs of booted feet could be heard, thundering behind them, along some animal's vicious barking.

"Were almost there!," screamed the red haired woman, "Just a little bit more". They passed through a large doorway into a loading bay. Large wooden crates with "Fragile, This way up" where scattered around the large room. Garage doors lined the opposite wall from the group. A black van was idling at one of the doors to the area. The back doors swung open, and a dark haired lady motioned for them to get in.

"Hurry up Sarah, get them in the van!" yelled the helmeted man, as he took up a defensive position by the door. Suddenly automatic gunfire chortled from the passage they had come from. It was followed by a scream as the man with blond hair tumbled into the room, as a large horned Doberman crashed into him. He tried to get up but the dog held him down. It breathed deeply and the man held his arms over his face. Mark let out a strangled gasp as the dog breathed fire at the man. The smell of burned hair and cloth filled the room. The man fumbled at his side and drew a sidearm. He fired point blank into the dog's belly. It yelped and rolled off him. He scrambled to his feet and jumped behind a crate, as the dog sought vengeance, spewing fire directly at the crate. The flames leapt up over the wood, burning away its label.

It read "Flammable".

The crate exploded. The flames engulfed both man and dog.

Mark saw white as his ears popped. He had been about to enter the van and was blown through the rear door. It slammed shut after him and someone screamed for the driver to go. Mark's head span and he felt sick. He had landed on something soft and it was squirming beneath him. It shoved him off and he lay on the floor of the van as motor roared as the driver floored the accelerator. Mark was thrown backwards as the van sped out of the cargo bay. This time however he acted as the unwilling cushion, as someone landed on him. The roar of the engine was accompanied by the frantic screams of the passengers and the staccato pop of gunfire. Bullets bounced and zinged of the back of the van, the panels had been reinforced. The van sped through the facility, taking a left here a sharp right there, heading for the exit. The red haired woman had climbed into the passenger's seat, and was firmly buckling her safety belt. "Move it Frank," shouted Sarah, wincing as a bullet hit the window to her left, leaving a spider web of cracks in the reinforced glass. "I'm taking her as fast as she can go," retorted the driver in a peculiarly Scottish accent.

Mark struggled to push off the writhing heap of feathers that pinned him. The van swerved, narrowly missing the large bipedal rhino that blocked its path. The feathery heap fell off Mark, allowing him a brief look through the windshield. The gate was directly ahead. Security bollards began to rise from the road, trying to block their path. "Oh no you don't!" roared the driver, as he shifted gear and floored the gas pedal. He flipped a small switch on the steering wheel, and the van lurched forward as it gained speed. It sped towards the gate. 'Are we going to make it?' Mark thought, as he fumbled for a hand hold and clung to it with white knuckled tenacity. The driver began to yell. The man's shout was soon accompanied by Sarah's screaming and, to Mark's surprise, his own frightened cry.

The van roared over the still rising bollards, which caught the back bumper. The carbon fibre plate was ripped loose and was left behind, a testament to their escape. The driver let out a raucous cheer, and pumped his fist in the air. "Yeah! That's what I'm talkin' about. And you told me that canister of NOS was a waste," he jeered at Sarah. The redhead didn't reply her grey eyes were swimming with tears. "What's wrong missy," asked the driver, taking his eyes quickly off the road to look at her face.

"We lost Ed," said a disgruntled voice from the back of the van. It was the man with the helmet. He had in fact removed the helmet, which was on the floor next to him as he sat against the side of the van. He had a rugged face, with well trimmed facial hair, a buzz cut and dark rings below his steely blue eyes. The van took a left turn sharply and began to travel along a dirt road into the forest. The bouncing of the vehicle caused the nausea in Mark's stomach to return.

The Scottish man sighed, sadness showed on his young face. After a pause, he reached a gloved hand across and patted Sarah on the shoulder gently."I'm sorry lass," he said returning the hand to the wheel," he was a good man, and I know that he knew you loved him". "He knew what he was getting into," the man with the helmet said hoarsely. The dark haired woman from before, who had finally managed to gain her footing at the back, quickly reprimanded the man," Don't be such a hard ass Francis! Show a little compassion for once". Francis scowled at her as she began to hand out blankets to the shivering shapes strewn around the back of the van. "Th-thank you," came the voice of a frail green haired girl as she was given a blanket. Mark had heard that same 'thank you before'. It had been just after they had gotten off a bus. He noticed the pink uniform for the first time. The girl looked at him with large confused eyes, partially hidden behind green bangs. She squinted her eyes trying to focus on his face, "Mark, is that you?" She asked hesitantly.

Mark felt his jaw drop. He did recognise this strange girl. He was about to reply when someone quickly screamed, "What the hell is going on here? Who are you people? What happened to me?" The last part faded into a whine, as the girl with the lilac fur broke into tears. They streamed down her face, tracing wet lines into the white fur of her face. "Shhh it's alright, your safe now," said the dark haired woman comfortingly, "my name is Melody. What's yours?" The girl sniffed, her furred ears flat on her head. "My name...my name is Helen". "There, there Helen," said Melody, wrapping a blanket around the sobbing girls shoulders, "we're the good guys and we'll protect you, so don't worry". Sarah rubbed her bleary eyes before turning around to face the rear of the van. "That's right. We're part of the Human American Rangers Pokecorps" she said addressing all the shaking figures. "That's HARP for short lass," remarked the driver, as he kept his eyes on the dark gravel road.

"W-what happened to me?" pleaded Helen between sobs. She seemed completely oblivious to the other figures in the back. "Now that is a tricky question," replied the driver. Sarah decided to elaborate, "We knew that the Remment corporation was conducting experiments but nothing like this" she said gesturing to the girl. Mark noticed her twitching tail, flicking back and forth as she continued to sob.

"Why did you rescue us?" asked the green haired girl meekly. "You are our proof," replied the man with the helmet, "we had hoped to find evidence of experiments on pokémon. Some photos or a document of what they were doing. Instead we found you". Sarah turned again in her seat to stare at the shivering shapes. "I had gone undercover in the facility. And so when I found out what they were up to I knew we couldn't leave you there. You're living proof of what that corporation has done". "What do you mean pokémon," smirked Helen between sobs, "pokémon don't exist". Sarah blinked absently at the girl, so did Francis."Huh? What do you mean pokémon don't exist, are you sure you're okay cause you're not making much sense," said Francis as he leant over to inspect the girl. The girl shied away, her tail flicked in fear. "What are you trying to say," she squeaked. "Darling you are pretty much are a pokémon," replied the driver. Helen looked at her hands the reality dawning on her for the first time. She began to hyperventilate in panic. Mark didn't blame her, he felt the same way. "Don't worry everything's going to be alright," said the dark haired lady. She was wrong.

Suddenly something large butted into the side of the van. This caused the vehicle to veer off the road and into the trees. "What the hell was that?" screamed Sarah over the sound of branches hitting the windshield. "We just got rammed by a Rhydon," the driver yelled back in angst as he braced the wheel. "That bastard must have cut through the woods to catch us," growled Francis from the back as he held on for dear life as he was bounced around the rear of the van.

The forest began to slope as the van progressed through the trees. It ran out of control down the hill as the driver tried to doge the larger trees and rocks in the path. A large tree loomed in front of the head lights."OH SHIT!" yelled the driver as he tried to avoid it. The van screamed past, trading paint with the large oak. They had missed the tree, but the driver had over-steered. The van slid horizontally down the hill for two meters before it began to roll slowly down the hill. It came to rest upside down after two short revolutions, against the bark of an old rotten birch.

...

The engine check light flashed stupidly behind the shattered dashboard. The driver hung from his seat, blood trickling from his forehead. Mark could smell it. He could hear it splatting against the roof. He could smell and taste his own blood as it matted his new fur. Groaning, he righted himself. The rear doors stood open and in the pulsating flashes of the emergency light he could make out other shapes. As he watched they began to stir. A hand shot out, grabbing Mark's shoulder. He swirled, trying to dislodge the offending limb. It held him firmly as a hoarse voice came from the arms owner."Take the others away from here, the retrieval team will be here soon," Francis coughed feebly as he looked at the metal shard poking from below his ribs, just beyond the protective armour carapace. "There's a cabin about ten kilometers South-East of here," he continued, "You need to find it. There's a woman living there. She'll know what to do," he finished drawing his pistol from the belt at his side. He let go of Mark and gave him a weak yet reassuring smile, "Good luck kid. Now Go!"

Mark scrambled away and began to hastily wake up the stirring forms. He made his way to the door, gesturing for them to follow in the intermittent flickering of the light on the dash board. Mark hastily guided them into the woods making them move quickly through the trees. "Those hybrids are really quite tough huh," came a weak remark from the front of the van"to think a little pokémon DNA and you can walk away from a car crash". "On the other hand I get my leg broken and I was the one with a safety belt. "Ah so little misses sleeping beauty has woken, at such a fine time too," chuckled Francis from his position on the floor. Blood frothed at his lips as he laughed, and he gave a weak wheezing cough. "Bite me!" said Sarah as she dangled from her chair, held in place by her safety belt. "I'm sorely tempted to missy," Francis said with another burbling chuckle.

Mark was running between dark trees. He was followed by a small group, all dressed in the same clothes and guide by the moonlight. One had golden rings shining in the darkness. One had a thin lilac tail and long feline ears. One had green hair which blew behind her as she ran. One had sparking fur. One had flame red feathers that glowed ever so slightly in the dark of the night. And they were all running into the dark woods. They ran into the unknown.

...

Back at the Remment Research labs Doctor Giovanni was nursing a shoulder covered with bloody bandages. He stood before a woman in a chair his face pale from the loss of blood. She had her hands tied behind her back her mouth was covered by duct tape. Her one eye was swollen shut and dried blood ran down her face from a split brow. Doctor Giovanni walked to a small table in the corner of the room with a steaming cup on it. He picked it up, sipping tentatively at the hot contents. "Oh now that's good coffee," he smacked his lips, a pleased smile spreading across his ashen features. "Now Miss Emily Stewart, or should I call you Sarah, Sarah Richards. Oh don't look so surprised, the resources at my disposal are really quite good," he said taking another sip of the coffee and retrieved a clip board from the table. "Here it is," he said with a pallid sneer, "Sarah Richards, married to Edward Richards. Oh HARP operative I see, very interesting". Sarah squirmed against her bonds, the chair squeaking audibly on the floor."Oh really Mrs. Richards, or can I call you Sarah. The formalities of this situation escape me; anyway you used to work as staff here. You worked in the office as a secretary, while your husband worked as security. You transferred in from another section of Remment Inc six weeks ago". Sarah was mumbling beneath the tape, trying to say something. "Oh you have something to say," Giovanni said as he approached. He viciously yanked the tape off, causing Sarah to groan. "Well let's hear it then". Sarah spat at him, hitting him in the face. He recoiled stumbling away from her. He wiped the spit from his face with the sleeve of his labcoat. "You'll never find them," Sarah yelled triumphantly. Rico Giovanni slapped her across the face, making the redhead gasp in shock. "I tried to be civil but, alas it will have to be the hard way this time". A quick gesture caused a man to enter the room to re-gag the captive."Hypno, if you would be so kind, would you please break into her mind". At this a yellow creature that came up to the doctor's chest entered the room. It carried an old silver coin, with a hole in the middle and strung up with a silver chain.

The Giovanni began to exit the room, "Hypno make it slow and painful, and Sarah, I think we can both learn something from this. And in case you still don't understand this will not be pleasant. Take care now". He left the room with a pleased smile stretching his lips as he took another sip of the coffee, "I need to drink this more often," he said walking down the hall.

Back in the room the yellow pokémon began to swing the coin on its chain. Sarah could do nothing more than stare at it. The coin began to swirl before her eyes. She felt dizzy. Dark shapes crawled in the corner of her vision. They slowly began to approach bearing fangs with sinister intent. One came close enough to bite her. The pain felt real as the shadowy fiend bit into her leg. 'Please be safe' she thought before the horde of phantoms descended upon her. She began to scream, the swirling fog of pain blocking her eyes, sending her into darkness.

* * *

Well thats that. Until next time. So please read AND review, it shows you care.

I hope the format has come out a little better, but there are bound to be spelling and grammar errors lurking somewhere just waiting to bite me in the ass. Truly I will try to edit the chapters as soon as I can, other than that ...

P.S. I'm gonna post some pictures of the characters with next installment, or maybe before, it depends on some things between now and then.


End file.
